About

The town of Barnstead is situated just south of the lakes region in New Hampshire in Belknap County and is immediately surrounded by the towns of Gilmanton, Alton, Strafford, and Pittsfield with easy access to Laconia, Rochester and Portsmouth. The city of Concord is less than an hour's drive away, as are the recreational areas of the White Mountains, Lake Winnipesauke, the seacoast and Maine's tourist areas. Barnstead's population hovers around 4,000 friendly residents. Many families have called Barnstead home for generations and many families have settled within the town limits because of its peaceful beauty and easy pace of life.

Locke Lake Colony is a year round community where homes surround the tranquil waters of Locke Lake and Half Moon Lake. Center Barnstead has the historic main street and borders the picturesque Barnstead Parade, with its vintage colonial homes. The Suncook River winds through Barnstead from the Upper and Lower Suncook Lakes, where homesteads and sunny beaches share the northeastern corner of the township.

Of its 45 square miles, Barnstead is made up of woodlands, lakes and agricultural fields and, because of these areas, there are many year round activities such as snowmobiling, hiking, fishing, kayaking and canoeing. The Route 28 corridor runs through the town, giving tourists easy access to the lake and mountain regions for skiing and boating.

Barnstead was incorporated in 1727 and was named for Barnstable on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Hempstead on Long Island, New York, where its original settlers had emigrated from. Now, it is home to diverse peoples who have moved in from across the country as well as from over seas.